Kristen Nicolini Lehmkuhle's Journal

January 27, 2009 (Posted January 29, 2009)

At work I am constantly being told “now this is a Minnesota winter!” With all of  my winters spent injured, I never knew it could actually get this cold here. However, if I had to choose between cold pools or sub-zero temperatures for running, I would definitely choose the icy ground and bitter air. Proper running gear is a must! We have definitely sold our fair share of face masks and yaktrax at the running store where I work.
 
Right now I feel like I have a good balance between running and work. I am working 30 hours a week and getting in all of my training without overextending myself. I am very fortunate to have a flexible job that I enjoy. Would I sometimes rather take a nap after a long workout? Yes, but at the end of the day when my head hits the pillow I wouldn’t have it any other way.
 
I also have somewhat of a regular routine, meeting Meghan and Michelle at Life Time Fitness on our non-workout days. I am very thankful to have them to run with so early in the mornings! This way I can have company on runs and still get to work in plenty of time. I can only imagine how much fun it will be when we aren’t finishing our runs with icicles formed to our eyelashes.
 
With the challenging winter, it was nice to head to the USA Half-Marathon Championships in Houston on January 18. I didn’t know what to expect for this race because I hadn’t raced since mid-October. It is both nerve-racking and exciting to race after such a long training stint. Last year I was really focusing on this race, but this last fall and winter I have been holding myself back a bit to make sure I am ready come spring. Last year at this point I was already feeling a bit over-trained and over-tired, eventually resulting in injury. Right now I am feeling strong and excited for the rest of the year.
 
All in all, the half-marathon went well. Anytime I can come back from injury and run a PR, I am thankful. It was a small PR, but I never take those for granted. I felt strong during the race and I am pleased with where my fitness is especially with the winter we are having.
 
I have recovered well and I am now focusing on the USA 15K Championships in Jacksonville which will be held on March 14. I have never done this race before but I have heard great things. A lot of my teammates will be running as well so it should be a fun and fast weekend.

November 26, 2008 (Posted December 2, 2008)

It is the end of November, and winter is already here. Fortunately, we have not received any measurable amounts of snow. The paths are still clear and run-able. Cold and snowless is much better than cold with snowy paths. At least for runners!

My last race was the World Championships Half-Marathon in Brazil on October 12.

Jason and I had a little bit of trouble with our travels and arrived in Rio a day late. Due to delays in Atlanta, we missed our connecting flight. At first I was really concerned about arriving in Brazil so close to the race. I had to remind myself not to worry too much about something I couldn’t control. Everything worked out fine and we made it to Rio safe and sound.

Only shortly after we arrived to the hotel we realized that we had the wrong bags. At first this was very confusing for us seeing as how we were the only two team members on the flight. It turns out Melissa White and Dot McMahon barely made their flight the day before, and their bags were sent on our flight. We had grabbed the first USA bags off of the baggage claim without thinking to check the tags.

We eventually got our bags around dinner time. I wasn’t too concerned because we both had all of our racing stuff in our carry-on bags. I just had to borrow some running things from Jason to do my pre race run. As if my pasty-white Minnesota body didn’t stand out enough in Brazil, try wearing your husband’s half-tights with a neon orange shirt running through the streets.

The race went well. The weather was really warm but I think we had a good showing. The women’s team placed fourth. Overall it was a great experience and I am glad I had this opportunity.

Since the half-marathon I have been training with the team. We have a larger group than normal with everyone healthy. It’s really nice! I have put in a lot of quality weeks. To try and ensure that I stay healthy this year I am in the middle of taking a lighter week. I have added in a little more cross training to hopefully let my body absorb all of the training done over the last couple of months.

My next race will be the USATF Half-Marathon Championships in Houston on January 18. I am anxious to race this distance again and see if I can improve upon my place and time.

September 29, 2008 Entry (Posted October 6, 2008)

Labor Day means many things - back to school, no longer wearing white pants, and of course the beginning of fall training. The team looks great and everyone is ready for a big year. We had some injuries last spring but everyone is currently working their way back to normal training.

Most of us are doing our usual fall buildup while others are preparing for either the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon or the ING New York City Marathon. We also have a great new addition to the female side of our team - Meghan Armstrong from the University of Iowa.

One of my focuses this fall is running the Half Marathon World Championships in Brazil on October 12. It should be a great experience and I am looking forward to the race. My husband was also selected to run on the men’s team. This will of course add to the trip tremendously. I don’t know that we will ever have the opportunity to run on a world team together again.

Deciding to run the half-marathon meant it was time to start racing. I went to Long Island to run the Cow Harbor 10K on September 20. Having done this race last year, I thought it would give me a good indication of my current fitness level. I was pleasantly surprised to run a little faster this time around (and win for the third time). I felt strong and a little more like myself. This should give me more confidence going into the half-marathon.

I have also tweaked my training a little bit to prepare myself for the longer distance. The workouts I am doing are sufficient for a half-marathon but I have added a couple more miles onto my long runs. My first half-marathon was at Houston last January (1:12:58). I learned a lot during that race. Hopefully having one under my belt will prove to be beneficial for me in Brazil.

With the half-marathon being the weekend after the Twin Cities 10 mile I obviously can’t do both. As excited as I am about the world half, I am almost equally disappointed not to be running the 10 mile on October 5. It is a great course and also this year’s USA’s women’s 10- mile championship. One thing’s for sure, it will be a very competitive field and a very exciting race to watch!

June 21, 2008 Entry (Posted June 23, 2008)

We all go through ups and downs as runners. Unfortunately the timing of my injury could not have been any worse. My stress fracture in late February took three months to heal. That was two months more than I was expecting. I missed the 2007 track season also so I was still in need of a time for the Olympic Trials.

I tried to stay calm and focus on what I could do with cross training. I did everything from spin classes, to pool work, and even an underwater treadmill. I couldn’t use the underwater treadmill until the end of my injury because it hurt my foot. It ended up being a good transition for me before I hit the roads.

It’s a really good approach to cross training and for me the closest thing to running. One of our sponsors - ACCUA in Savage, Minnesota - works with several injured athletes on the underwater treadmill. They are very knowledgeable and flexible with their patients. It is something I would definitely like to incorporate into my normal running regimen.

By the time I could run again, the amount of 10K races on the track was very limited. I set my sights on the Hanson’s Distance Solution on June 7 even though I knew the weather might not be ideal. I spent three weeks doing workouts and trying to get my legs under me. One workout I might feel good but then the next would be more of a struggle.

Granted, I was trying to hit times like I didn’t just miss three months of running. I wondered if I should even try to race. I didn’t want to miss the Olympic year especially after all of the training I had done all fall and winter in preparation for spring races. I decided if I didn’t try I would never know. I usually come back from injury setting PRs but usually after more than three weeks of training. I put that behind me and headed to Michigan.

Jason came with me and we split the drive up into two days. The further southeast we went the warmer it got. I tend to like the heat and have never had a problem racing in it. The field for the 10K looked great so I knew there would be people to run with. As I watched the distance races before I noticed the times were not very fast. Again, I told myself “you run well in the heat.”

The gun went off and a group of us went after a pace to try and make a time for the Trials. As the race went on the pace seemed to falter. People either slowed or dropped out. Looking back the heat was definitely hard for me. At the time 60 degrees was a warm day in Minnesota. We just haven’t had the summer heat yet.

I didn’t really have time in my training to fit everything in. We opted for track work instead of tempo stuff. I wonder if I should have done tempo work instead, or a little of both. I just don’t know. Either way I tried but the cards did not fall in my favor. I know I am a better runner now than in 2004 so it is really disappointing missing the Trials this year. I have seen many athletes come out of nowhere or finally have their breakout year. I have to believe that my time will come.

I have to look at the bright side. My foot is good and I can keep going forward from here. Even though it will be hard, I will be watching from afar and cheering for my teammates in Eugene.

I am going to take the summer to try some different things, focus on some drills and strength exercises so I can give it a go next year and ultimately stay injury free

March 9, 2008 Entry (Posted March 10, 2008)

Unfortunately my injury-free streak has come to an end. Cross country nationals went very poorly for me. There are several variables I could point towards but in the end I just went into that race too overworked. After the Houston Half-Marathon I should have taken two weeks to recover with lower mileage and no workouts. Maybe even a little bit of cross training. Leading up to cross country I was forcing the training too much.

After my disappointing finish I decided to take a week really easy. Also, after talking with Jason we came up with a game plan for the outdoor season that I could race well on. My college coach used to say “don’t train to train,” “train to race.” With all of my time away from the sport I am still trying to figure out what works for me. What kind of mileage to do when and what kind of adjustments to make when it is race time. I have put in a lot of hard work and I know I am fit. I just need to get to the starting line fresh instead of tired.

Then during my light week after San Diego I hurt my foot. I think I am still in disbelief that this even happened. Somehow I managed to get a stress fracture in my fifth metatarsal in one run. I was out on the river roads early Saturday morning before work and my foot started to hurt. As I made my way back home it got worse and worse. The pain was on the bottom of my foot and the thought of a stress fracture never even entered my mind.

I started with therapy that evening but 10 days went by and I still couldn’t run on my foot. The pain had also localized more to the outside of my foot. Whatever this injury was I knew I had to be smart about it. If I run and it gets worse I am in trouble. I still don’t have times for the Trials in June. I ended up getting a bone scan so that I would know exactly what I was dealing with. If I stop now it could be gone in four weeks and I could possibly get on the track in May at the Cardinal Invite. I have already been off of it for two weeks so maybe just another two to go.

This is definitely not what I had in mind but I am trying not to freak out too much. It was really out of my control. I have been doing the usual in the pool and on the bike. It was hard to get back in to cross training mode as I have really enjoyed being able to run for the last several months. In the past I have been forced to cross train for a year plus due to injury. This shouldn’t be anymore than four to six weeks total and hopefully I won’t miss a beat.

This is also really frustrating because I had a couple of races set up for March. With my last race being a disappointing one I am anxious to redeem myself. I guess I am just going to have to remain patient and shoot for some later spring meets. Everything happens for a reason and as my co-worker pointed out “I have gotten through much worse before.”

February 9, 2008 Entry (Posted February 11 2008)

Two more months of winter! At least that's what I figure. It's almost time for Cross Country Nationals and after that March is right around the corner. I know we still get snow in March and April but the bitter cold should be done with.

We have already had some breaks in the weather these last couple of weeks. Last week we were able to do a tempo run outside followed by some hills. The paths were clear and it was nearly forty degrees. Many other teams in the area had the same idea. I think I saw just about every track team around out on the roads for a workout. Too bad the weather did a one-eighty the next day. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.

The last time I wrote I was preparing for my first half-marathon. All in all it was a solid performance (1:12:58). I had higher expectations of myself but I did not leave disappointed. With the training I had under me I was shooting for a faster time. However, to finish in the top five in my first road championships isn't a bad day.

I think as I gain more experience at this distance the better the outcome will be. I learned a lot after Houston and I am ready to give the half-marathon another try. It also didn't steer me away from wanting to try a marathon sometime in the near future.

After the Aramco Houston Half-Marathon I got off schedule with the rest of the team. This week we are all finally on the same page again. I really enjoy doing the track workouts with the other girls. I have had some of my best workouts by far. One reason is because I have some consistent training under me but also because I have the others there to push me. San Diego should be a good race for all of us!

January 8, 2008 Entry (Posted January 9, 2008)

It is definitely winter here in Minnesota! We have had our fair share of snow and negative temperatures, and it is only the beginning of January. I feel like I have adjusted to the cold but I could do without the snow and ice. It makes the footing a bit challenging at times. Jason and I were able to escape for a couple of days when we went to Maryland for Christmas. It was so nice not to have any snow on the ground. I took full advantage of the weather and got some good training in.

This weekend I am going to run the US women’s Half-Marathon Championships in Houston. I am looking forward to testing my fitness. I haven’t raced since the beginning of October and I have had a good stretch of training. My primary focus is the 10K this spring but the half-marathon fits in well with my training.

As much as I love indoor track, Dennis and I are taking a different approach this year in hopes that I stay healthy. So far it is working because I just finished my fifth month of training. A typical training week involves two quality workouts and a long run. The rest is just details.

I’m taking this approach because it keeps me from getting too wrapped up in trying to hit a specific weekly mileage number. This way if I am tired or feeling a little off I’m not afraid to replace a run with some cross training. My old Auburn coach Layne Anderson always reminds me that my heart doesn’t know the difference between an hour recovery run and an hour on the bike. I can still get the same training effect but reduce the pounding on my legs.

I also plan to run the U.S. Cross Country Championships in February. I haven’t run cross country in years and it will be good for me to see where I place in such a strong field. I imagine that most of the girls in the race will also be competing on the track this spring.

After cross country I will start doing some more event specific training on the track. My first race will be early to late April. I will probably open with a 5K and then run a 10K come mid May. For now I will continue to take things in stride, one week at a time.

November 17, 2007 Entry (Posted November 19,2007)

My inspiration for the month comes from watching my husband (Jason Lehmkuhle) finish fifth in the Olympic Team Trials – Men’s Marathon running 2:12:54. I don't know what's worse, running the actual marathon or dealing with your husband the week before he runs one. I mean that in the best way possible!

Although I have never run a marathon before, I have been told that the taper week always feels the worst. You are very likely to feel a lot of aches and pains as your body adjusts to the shock of cutting your mileage in half. This is where I come in. The key is to
keep him busy and occupied at all times(laundry, cooking dinner, mowing the lawn). It's too bad this time of year doesn't roll around more often!

Jason is usually the sane one out of the two of us. However, I know that before a big marathon I need to be the one with my head on my shoulders. First, there was a minor injury with his left hamstring. As I said before, Jason is always so laid back but I could see the concern on his face when this first crept up on him.

Okay, not a problem. This is where my injury expertise comes into play. I forced him to get on this right away which is normally not Jason’s style. I took him to see Liz Schorn, one of our team’s physical therapists, and had him set up an appointment with Wade Folske, our team chiropractor. A couple of visits and I could see he was much more confident about his leg.

I thought we were out of the woods until the day before we left for New York. Apparently, though, a bladder infection had taken over his body. Well, not really but if consuming large quantities of cranberry juice was going to make him feel like he was treating something then so be it. At a moment’s notice I was off to the store.

We arrived in New York Thursday without any complications. The hotel was in a perfect location, only a mile from Central Park. Apparently, the only problem with the hotel was the down pillows we slept on the first night. Jason woke up Friday complaining of a scratchy throat. Easy fix. I called down to the front desk and they sent up some "hypo allergenic" pillows.Fortunately, that was it.

From here on out it was smooth sailing. I
just needed to keep my nerves down the morning of the race (I went for a 10 mile run at 5:00 a.m.)  The last thing I told Jason before he left for the shuttle was to "run a smart race and to be patient." 

As many of us know, he had run two frustrating marathons prior to the Olympic Trials. His fitness leading up to the race always shows what he is capable of. He just needed to put it all together on that day. And boy did he ever!  To watch him loop after loop look so effortless, I knew it was going to be a good one.

I can sometimes tell by the look on his face when the wheels are starting to come off. I never saw that look. When a pack of five broke away I was glad to see Jason not with them!  I have always known his best marathons to come from negative splits. I knew it was still early in the race and a lot could happen. Plus, I have to admit, Brian Sell being in the second pack with Jason seemed to calm my nerves even more.

I was standing around mile 25-1/2 and it looked as though Jason had fifth place locked down. I was trying to do the math and knew he was on his way to a 2:12 marathon.

The day was filled with a lot of different emotions. At first we were excited about the race but then overcome with sadness and disbelief over the passing of Ryan Shay. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about Alicia and the Shay family. Jason, Matt, Andrew and I made the trip to Central Lake, Michigan, for Ryan's funeral on November 11. The stories that were shared about Ryan by friends, coaches, and family, will never be forgotten. He impacted so many people’s lives and will always be remembered as an inspiration.

October 15, 2007 Entry (Posted October 16,2007)

I am nine weeks into training right now. There isn’t a day I put on my shoes and don’t think how lucky I am to be running again. I never expected to get back to racing so soon, but the results of my first race showed me I was ready.

On September 15, Jason and I traveled to Long Island for the Cow Harbor 10k. We had such a fun weekend. My dad made the trip from Maryland to watch the race and we stayed with the Jennings, the same family from last year. The race was a good starting point for me. I felt strong and somewhat surprised myself crossing the line 43 seconds faster than last year (taking first place this year and last). It’s almost a relief. When you miss as much time as I have, you just cross your fingers you can get yourself back.

After this race I started thinking ahead to my next competition. I couldn’t decide between the Tufts 10K or the Twin Cities 10 Mile. I decided not to make the trip out to Boston but instead try my first longer road race. I have always been curious about 20ks and half marathons. Even though I didn’t have much training under me, I felt that this distance would fit better with the kind of workouts I had been doing.

As you probably already know, Twin Cities weekend wasn’t perfect weather but I think I still had a solid race [Editor’s Note: Kristen won the race in 56:17}. My first mile was a little slower than expected but in the end it might have saved me as a lot of guys were coming back to me in the last couple of miles. I think next time I can run a more aggressive first half of the race and have confidence in myself to still finish strong. Overall, the 10-mile race was a good experience. This is the first Twin Cities weekend I have been able to run since 2003 due to injuries. It was so much fun being a part of the races and supporting one of our sponsors, the Twin Cities Marathon.

September and October have been very busy months for me. I started a full-time job at a local running store and I am also an assistant cross country coach at Edina High School. It makes for a very busy schedule right now.

I start the day with a longer early morning run and arrive at the store around 9:45. On coaching days I stay at the store until 3:30 and then I head out to high school practice. I sometimes do a shorter run with the team and make use of the Edina Community Center facilities. They have a decent weight room where I take the time to do a number of exercises. These exercises will hopefully help keep me strong and healthy this year. Afterwards I make my way home to catch up with my husband over dinner and prepare to do it all again the next day.

Twice a week I meet the other members of Team USA Minnesota in the morning for practice. These days I don’t go into work until 1:00 and I stay until 8:00 to close the store. I also usually need to take advantage of a later work start and see some of my usual physical therapists for maintenance work. As much as I love coaching, I am looking forward to having some extra time when the season is done in a couple of weeks.

August 29, 2007 Entry (Posted August 30,2007)

I know it has been awhile since I last wrote but it has taken this long for me to return to running. I figured I would spare you the details of my cross training workouts over the last eight months! Instead, I decided to wait until my training involved lacing up my shoes. Fortunately, I am back on the roads again and not a moment too soon. I swear I was starting to grow gills! I began training the first of August and so far it is going great!

In April, I had to have my first hernia repair done again because the mesh had wadded up. The surgery took away some of my pain but I still couldn’t run. My injury problems were like unpeeling the layers of an onion. Eventually we discovered that I have a leg length discrepancy. I am hoping this is a big reason for my injury problems over the years.

With my last injury, the leg length difference was causing a lot of problems with my pelvis and SI joint. The referred pain was in my knee. I now have an insert with a full-length lift for my shorter leg. This has been a tremendous help! The insert allows me to hold my pelvis in a neutral position instead of rotating one side forward to compensate for the discrepancy. Once I started wearing the insert my pain slowly went away. I still go to therapy every week for maintenance work.

In my last journal entry, I spoke about a lot of bad biomechanical issues that had developed. With the help of Andre, a physical therapist from Accelerated Sports, I was able to resolve those issues by spending several months on a “reformer.” For those of you who are unfamiliar with a reformer, it is a Pilates machine.

Doing rehab on it was an eye opening experience for me. The reformer allows you to isolate certain muscles and find your weaknesses. Unfortunately, I had many. Andre really worked me hard but it was just what I needed and wanted. We would finish the manual part of therapy and he would send me off to the reformer saying “see you in a couple of hours.” He wasn’t kidding! Then, just when I would think I was done he would come over and add something new to the program. Often this involved me sitting on the machine with my feet strapped down, leaning backwards, desperately trying to catch whatever pound ball he decided to throw at me. Needless to say, I loved it!

I also don’t know what I would have done without Toni Dauwalter, also from Accelerated Sports. She constantly tried to puzzle solve with me and always trusted my input. She is a great therapist and friend! I also want to thank our team doctors and physical therapists. They are only a quick email or phone call away. Liz Schorn always has such a packed schedule but somehow manages to fit you in. She is such a knowledgeable resource that I am so thankful to have.

have a lot of lofty goals for 2008 and so many people to thank for getting me back out there! Right now I am focused on the kind of training I need to do in order to run fast. For the first time in my competitive career, I feel like I have a good grasp on what kind of mileage to do, what is too much, what is not enough, when to back off, and when to push harder. My main focus will be on the track and everything I do from here on out will be in preparation for spring races.

My other exciting news is that Jason Lehmkuhle and I recently got married. We had a great time with all of our friends and family at the wedding. On a side note, Andrew Carlson might have a career as a commentator but he also makes a fantastic usher!

February 5, 2007 Entry (Posted February 9, 2007)

My life as a swimmer, I mean runner…. I swear I spend more time in the water than actually running in a year’s time. My hernia surgery went great and thanks to the MEADP (Minnesota Elite Athlete Development Program) grant, I received financial help to cover some of the cost. I thank them so much for their support! I know the last couple of times I wrote I spoke about my injuries. I was hesitant to write this time around as I am still not able to run. But, this is where I am right now and maybe I can shed some light for other injured athletes.

After the surgery I felt great, but in only a week or two of running, I started getting pain on the outside of my knee on my opposite leg. I stopped immediately, but apparently it was too late. The problem ended up being my IT band and unfortunately once it is at the knee the damage has already been done. The weird thing is that I never felt anything until the pain started during an easy run. It came out of nowhere. I immediately saw the trainer and jumped in the pool for a couple of weeks hoping to get rid of it quick.

However, after five weeks of treatment and pool workouts I was still unable to run…frustrating! I then had an offer to see some therapists in Flagstaff and Phoenix so I headed to Arizona for a couple of weeks. Basically I have developed a lot of bad biomechanical problems while running with the sports hernias for so long.

Last year, after being out of the sport for a year-and-a-half, I was so excited to be racing again. However, while training and racing last spring and summer I was compensating for a then unknown hernia on my left side. Through this my body just taught itself to run favoring or really primarily using my right leg. It’s funny because I always noticed my right leg being bigger. I referred to it as my “stronger” leg. I have now been corrected. Apparently it is my “over-used” leg.

This is where I am having a lot of my problems now. I can’t seem to get my body to use certain muscles like it is supposed to. To fix this problem I have been given a lot of simple exercises just to get things working correctly again. Eventually I will add some more weight to those exercises but for now I have to start with the basics. I have been doing this program for a week now and I can already tell a difference. I am now going on eight weeks of strictly pool work, but I can’t help but think that I will come out of this stronger and more efficient after working on my deficiencies.

One cool thing about being in Phoenix for a little while is the chance to swim outdoors. When I first arrived they were going through a bit of a cold spell. Some parts of the valley even got snow! I am very fortunate to have a Lifetime Fitness club close by to use while I am here. As I drove to the pool early in the morning I heard the weather forecast on the radio – 45 degrees! But, don’t worry, that didn’t stop the Minnesotan from swimming in the outdoor pool. The water is somewhat heated so getting from the pool deck into the water was really half the battle. Needless to say though, I had the whole pool to myself. Since then it has warmed back up to normal temperatures, which are ideal for outdoor swimming.

I get into a pretty good rhythm with my training when I can’t run. However, there isn’t much cross training I can do with my current IT band injury because both aqua jogging and machines bother it. Fortunately I spent my younger days as a swimmer, which gives me another option. I swim five to six thousand meters or yards a day. Swimming is a lot like running only you can do multiple hard interval sets in one workout and do hard interval workouts on back-to-back days. Although I would rather be running, it is fun to watch my times drop as I get back in swimming shape. I also do weights to keep my legs strong so that they will be able to handle the impact of the roads. This is not ideal when you are trying to improve as a runner, but I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. For now I am working hard to maintain my fitness and ensure that I can still set PR’s on the track this spring.

I have been asked why I don’t just hang my shoes up. Well, I will tell you why. I often wonder what I could do if I avoided major injuries for a year or more. We all know that a huge factor in distance running is consistency. If you can train and avoid injury you are bound to improve. I want the chance to train and race without major set backs and see what I can accomplish. The bottom line is I love to run and I think there is still a lot of room for improvement.

I always tell myself it takes a dedicated runner to run but an even more dedicated runner to train when you can’t just put your shoes on and go out the front door. I still have a lot more to learn in this sport and I am excited to see where my fitness is when I get out of the water!

December 8, 2006 Entry (Posted December 13, 2006)

The last time I wrote I was attempting to heal what I thought was strictly a knee problem. It started to bother me in July and come October I decided that there had to be an underlying problem. I had also developed hamstring and glute pain while continuing to train and race. After a lot of puzzle solving, I found out that I had a sports hernia. I already had hernia surgery on my right side last year but this time it was my left side.

To tell you the truth, I was not surprised. A year ago I originally had pain on both sides of my hip but we only operated on my right side thinking that my left pain was due to compensation. After my first surgery, and the more efficient I became, I felt like I was running on two healthy legs for most of the spring and summer. However, it only lasted for a couple of months before my hip started throwing things off again.

It was a little discouraging to hear that I needed surgery again but at the same time it was a relief. It only took me four months to figure out what was going on instead of a year-and-a-half. Plus, I’d had the surgery before and knew I could recover and still have the break-through year I was hoping for.

I had the surgery about three weeks ago and I am anxious to get back to full strength. I am doing some running while trying to allow myself time to completely recover. One thing is for sure, I will never take being healthy for granted again!

On a different note, I know I have said this before but I am still amazed at the enthusiasm Minnesotans have for running in the dead of winter. Last weekend I met up with Carrie and Katie for a run. We were ending at a local road race, the Reindeer Run 5K on December 2, to support one of our sponsors, Life Time Fitness. When I left my house to meet the girls it was 13 degrees with a wind chill of zero. However, when we got to the starting line of the race, you would have thought it was a warm sunny day. I had just about everything I owned on my body while others were in a variety of costumes. Believe it or not, there were 4,200 runners participating in this 5K fun run on a frigid morning in Minneapolis.

Hopefully, the next time I write I will have a lot of training and racing details to share with you.

October 6, 2006 Entry (Posted October 9, 2006)

Summer Racing

Racing in Europe wasn’t going to happen this summer so I decided to race on the roads. I have always considered myself a track runner so this was a whole new experience for me. Since Peachtree went well, I thought I might try the Bix 7 in Iowa especially since it was in driving distance from Minneapolis. Bix is a 7-mile race over a hilly course and usually has unbearable heat. With those three elements considered, of course I would head to the Quad Cities.

The race went out a little slow maybe due to the heat or the half mile incline at the start. I felt pretty good halfway through and knew that I’d do better with the more challenging part yet to come. Mile four to the finish went well for me as I passed runners I’ve never beat before. My time was slower than what I had anticipated but I raced well and finished strong in sixth place.

Next, I was gearing towards the Guidant Heart of Summer 10K here in Minneapolis in mid-August. Due to injuries in past summers, this would be my first time running this event. It was nice to have a race of such high caliber here in Minnesota. I learned a huge lesson in this race!

All summer I ran smart and didn’t let anyone else influence my race plans. However, Guidant was a different story. I found myself out in 5:10 at the mile. From the gun Katie McGregor and Marla Runyan were out in front and I was leading a chase pack with teammate Jenelle Deatherage. Eventually, I expect to be able to go out in that pace on a consistent basis but for now my fitness is not there. For me, I feel if I cannot hold that pace then I have no business starting out that fast. That’s just over 32 minutes for a 10K and my fastest so far on the roads is 33:30. I think my end result would have been better had I kept it a little more under control the first part of the race. My better races and times have always come from running even or negative splitting.

Another part of racing is being able to change your original race strategy if things don’t go as planned. This was the case for me on the morning of the Guidant race. A group of four, including myself, was still together at the second mile. The girls around me were running strong and I knew I had to wait a little longer before trying to break away. We stayed in a pack until a little over four miles and then I tried to separate myself from them. I was able to hold my position until the end and finish third. That was a hard way to run a 10K!

My next race was the Cow Harbor 10K in New York in mid-September. I had run into some knee problems midway through the summer and my training was starting to suffer so I decided that this would be my last race of the year. The organizers of this race are so nice and really make you feel welcome. They arrange your transportation to and from the airport and provide you with a host family for the weekend. I traveled with Jason Lehmkuhle who was using this race as a tune-up for the Twin Cities Marathon. I had run this course three years ago, but the hills were still fresh in my mind. I knew it wouldn’t make my knee worse by running; it was just my fitness that I questioned. I hadn’t done much running in the last three to four weeks but I had enough good training earlier in the summer to get me through the race. I went out conservatively through the 5K and ran slightly faster the second half of the race. I was happy to win but would love to go back to this race healthy and ready to run faster next year.

For now, it’s time to heal some aches and pains so that I have a great year of training and racing in the coming year.

Introductory Entry

Minnesota
I am originally from Maryland and all of my friends back home still wonder why I would choose the land of 10,000 lakes to pursue a running career. My response: “The winters aren’t that bad to run in if you dress right. If it’s above 10 I’m fine but if it’s in the negatives, I wear a face mask.” In all honesty it was a hard adjustment for me at first but the running around here is great. There are so many trails for both running and biking. All it takes is a nice 30 degree sunny day in the dead of winter and the lakes are packed. Minnesotans are the most motivated, active people I know! I worked at a local running store when I first moved here and it was then that I learned that 99.9% of people in Minnesota run. The support around here really is incredible and very much appreciated!

Return to Competition
A series of injuries kept me out of competition for a year and a half after the 2004 Olympic Trials. After several doctors and countless hours in the pool it looked as though a sports hernia was at the root of my problems. I opted to have the surgery and since, all of my injuries have been a thing of the past. What a difference it makes being able to train with two healthy legs!

I started running again in February. As my fitness improved we decided to see if I could get a time for Outdoor Nationals. I knew it was a long shot but why not try. However, the amount of 5Ks in June was pretty slim. Fortunately, I was able to get into the Reebok Grand Prix meet. I would much rather go into a meet like that with ample training and racing under my belt. However, those were not the cards I was dealt. I ran a pretty good race for myself but far from where I would like to be. My time was just off of the “A” standard but it did get me to the starting line in Indianapolis.

Peachtree
Boy do I love the South! After spending two and a half years in school at Auburn University, I always love going anywhere near my old stomping grounds. My fondest memories of Atlanta involve an evening in Buckhead with various members of the track team and a shopping adventure with my roommates ending in a flat tire on the side of the highway. However, I now have a new memory to share involving heat, plenty of hills and glass peaches.

It was a last minute decision but after much persuasion by my sister who lives in Atlanta, I contacted the race director at Peachtree and decided to run the race. It was definitely the deepest 10K field I had ever been a part of. But, I was excited for the challenge. It’s a whole different story stepping on the starting line not being injured or just coming off of an injury. Instead I had just finished my fifth month of consistent training and was eager to test my fitness level against some of the best runners in the world. My sister and her husband were running the race as well as being my personal taxi. Apparently, I have a game face or something that was noticeable first thing that morning. I thought that I was doing well hiding the nerves, but I guess I was wrong. I know I’m not much for conversation and I really can’t repeat anything anyone says to me. I nod and answer questions, other than that I am worthless!

As they dropped me off at the elite warm-up area I saw many familiar faces including teammate Katie McGregor and former teammate Dana Coons. The course was nice with a slight downhill start and a second 5K packed with hills. The gun went off and everyone sprinted to the front. Although the field was incredibly deep and competitive, there were a couple of girls in the race that I wanted to try and run with. I heard 5:15 for my first mile and 10:32 for my next split. I decided to sit for one more mile and then start pushing over the hills. I only caught one girl around mile five to just squeeze into the top 15. I had stopped hearing splits after the two mile so I had no clue what time I was running and I didn’t even think about it until I saw the clock a couple of steps from the finish line……33:29, 33:30…. It was a long-awaited forty-five second 10K pr for me. I still need to get under thirty three minutes on the roads to be a little more competitive at that distance but how could I not be pleased with such a big step in the right direction.

Overall our group was very well represented with both Katie McGregor and Jason Lehmkuhle being the first Americans to cross the line. It was a great event to be a part of!